


Data Management

by NuxVomica



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-17
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-10-06 19:47:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10343316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NuxVomica/pseuds/NuxVomica
Summary: Root wonders why Shaw is so afraid to talk about her feelings.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I loved Shoot so much that I tried to remain canon complaint and create dialogue that would stay true to their characters. 
> 
> This chapter is a scene I would imagine on any given day team machine is running a number. 
> 
> I’m a little new to writing so please forgive grammar and mistakes. I’d love to hear your feedback ☺

Something was bothering Shaw. She couldn’t quite understand what it was, which bothered her even more. And she certainly wasn’t used to addressing her feelings. They were so few and far between that they were usually easy to subdue. But not this time. While she was a significant asset to the team, she had been slightly off her game as of late. Cloudy. Distracted. The other day she almost thwarted a mission by not providing Reese with information in time. Shaw was a perfectionist, and she prided herself on being a skilled operative with a vast knowledge of weaponry, but recent events had left her feeling inadequate. She thought back to her time in med school when she had been told that she wasn’t cut out for it - that she lacked the empathy to deal with the human error that was emotion, which came with the territory of working in the medical profession. 

These feelings overcame her again and this time she began to question whether she was cut out for this line of work, although she really didn’t have a choice. There was nowhere for her to run away and start all over. The risk of being caught by the ISA would prove too high, so she attempted to do something she knew she was not cut out for, or rather incapable of doing – she tried to sort out her feelings. As hard as she tried, each vein of her analysis led back to Root, and she had a feeling that the taller woman was, in fact, the “root” of the issue. But Shaw refused to take this seriously because she never took anyone seriously. Relationships and feelings were definitely not her things, and therefore they were off the table, not up for discussion. She had been having a rough start to her day when she received another text from Finch. He and Reese had been working a number together for the past two days. It was a high stakes situation that had grown out of control, and so the machine now enlisted its entire team of assets to carry out the remainder of the job. 

Finch’s text provided her with the time, location, and dress code of the benefit they were to attend, which was the place where their number would be presenting. Annoyed, Shaw thought about the last time she had dressed up and Reese gave her a hard time about looking “so angry”. This wasn’t exactly her idea of a good time, so it wasn’t her fault, right? She put on a sleek, emerald sheath dress that hugged her body in all the places. Running her hands through her wavy hair, she remembered to strap on a back-up piece to her inner thigh…and a back-up knife – just in case, before making her way out the door.

The crowd of people attending the gala was overwhelming. Left and right were old, rich people making fake conversation, and Shaw noticed a woman slip something into her drink, perhaps something to help her get through this stale evening. Shaw knew the feeling all too well. A deep wave of vacancy consumed her and in that moment she felt utterly depleted and void. A cocktail waiter passed her by and she quickly swiped a glass of champagne from his tray and tossed it back before giving him a feigned smile and nod. 

Rather than descend the stairs to the main ballroom floor, she decided to turn right and head toward the nearest exit for some much needed fresh air. She was nearing the door when she felt a tug at her left arm take her by surprise. 

“There you are,” a velvety voice purred.

“Root.” 

She was donning a dark, navy blue dress, along with some trademark curls. She towered over the smaller woman. The side of Root’s lip curled up into a smile. She looked like she was up to something.

“Nice to see you too.”

Shaw sighed. “I was just getting some air,” she said, almost apologetically.

“No time,” Root explained. “I saved us seats.”

Root led them across the floor, weaving in and out of the crowd, before finally reaching a table where Finch and Reese were also sitting. 

“I know you’re off the clock, Ms. Shaw, but I thought we could toast to a job well done on tonight’s number before parting ways. Also, this next speaker interests me greatly. He recently gave a Ted Talk about how computers are learning to be creative,” Finch said.

“Great. I guess it won’t hurt to nerd out with you guys for another hour,” Shaw replied.

Reese shared a mutual look of dissatisfaction with Shaw from across the table. Tonight’s number had been particularly physically demanding for her. She’d been chasing bad guys in 4-inch heels all night and the only thing she had on her mind at the moment was sleep. 

Shaw turned to Root and attempted to gauge her stance.

“Are you into this?”

Root, who was sitting to Shaw’s left, shifted her gaze from the podium to the smaller woman, locking eyes with her. She raised a brow.

“Not as much as I’m into you,” Root murmured. 

Shaw’s eyes grew wide and she shifted in her seat. The confusion she forgot about from earlier resurged in her mind, causing a stir in the low volume of her conscience. 

Root looked Shaw up and down, and then turned back to the podium as the lights in the ballroom dimmed and the speech began. 

Shaw’s eyes adjusted to the bright, harsh light of the stage silhouetted by the dark, cold ballroom. Goosebumps rushed over her skin. The temperature hadn’t changed, but she was experiencing sensory overload after tonight’s number, and her body was on high alert. 

She felt something cool and soft brush across her knee, which caused her to jump slightly in her seat. Root’s hand had somehow made itself home in Sameen’s lap.

Root, a little surprised by her reaction, leaned in and whispered, “Relax.” No one else at the table seemed to notice. 

Shaw took a few sharp inhales in an attempt to cool down. As she did so, she felt Root’s fingers climbing the hemline of her dress, teasing her flesh along the way, gently grazing each inner thigh back and forth, slowly making their way further. Sameen let out a breathy sigh, and Root smiled in approval. 

Shaw usually brushed Root’s advances off like crumbs off of a kitchen counter. She never thought twice about the brunette’s passes at her. Shaw was very blunt when it came to drawing a line about anything. And she preferred it that way. Cut and dry. But Root was persistent, a quality Shaw greatly admired, and lately, Shaw found herself at a loss with Root’s campy remarks and bad pick-up lines. It became apparent she was never going to stop trying, so Shaw just sort of gave up, and began ignoring her completely, even giving in and amusing her on occasion. This happened to be one of those occasions Shaw could not find the energy to resist. So she just let it happen. And it kind of felt good. 

For the first time in a few days Shaw felt comfortably grounded, tranquilized by Root’s subtle movements. She sank further into her seat and slowly closed her eyes, escaping earth for just a moment. Root’s hand continued traveling north, eventually making contact with Shaw’s underwear, and perhaps a rather sensitive area underneath. Shaw, caught off guard, quickly grabbed Root’s hand with her own – perhaps a little too hard, but without realizing it. Shaw quickly and quietly pushed back her chair and dismissed herself, taking that much needed breath of fresh air she so desperately sought earlier.

She pushed open the door and made her way into the alley that greeted her. The air was cool, the sound of traffic whirring by up ahead. She held her clutch in her mouth while she pulled on her blazer, never breaking stride, desperate to keep moving. She heard the door open behind her.

“Sameen,” Root yelled after her. 

Shaw continued walking and Root ran up, eventually hooking her arm around Shaw’s left arm, spinning her around to face her. 

“Are you ok?” 

Root’s eyes were alive and eager, trying to make sense of Shaw’s defeated state. Shaw just looked at her blankly, and then continued walking.

“Where are you going?”

“Home.”

Root intercepted her again and placed her hands on Shaw’s shoulders. 

“Tell me what’s going on. You might be fooling them (gesturing to Reese and Finch who were still inside), but you’re not fooling me.”

“Well, that’s exactly it,” Shaw replied.

Root returned a confused look. Shaw rolled her eyes and pushed past Root, continuing her way out of the alley. Root stopped her again. The inability to process her feelings and formulate words in this moment was incredibly frustrating for Shaw. She was growing hostile.

“I’m not good at this,” she said eventually. 

“At what, sweetie?” 

Shaw paused. “I can’t… do this. I’m not like you, or like regular people... I don’t understand.”

“You’re right, Shaw. You’re not like other people. And that’s why I find you so interesting.” 

Root took a step toward her, never breaking eye contact.

She continued. “Regular people are obvious and pedestrian. They’re stuck on autopilot. They don’t question their lives, or their 9 – 5 jobs, or the status quo. They go on living their superficial lives at face value.” She paused. “Not you. I watch the way you work, how you plan out a mission, your response time. You question and challenge practically everything. I’ve learned so much from you in ways I never imagined.” 

She approached Shaw, closing in on the gap between them.

“And the way you drive, and the way you devour food, and your face when you’re angry, and the inflection in your voice. So much is told through your body language and physicality. I’ve never known someone so true. You don’t need words or feelings. You really are a perfectly improvised rhapsody.” She took one more step in toward Shaw.

“And each piece is part of a much larger puzzle I’d like to uncover,” she whispered in her ear.

Shaw’s hairs stood on end and she stood frozen, paralyzed. She felt very exposed and irritated by Root’s revelation, and yet also impressed and enlightened. Root’s hands gently cupped around Shaw’s upper thighs/lower butt and she worked her way up and under Shaw’s dress. Shaw, still a little embarrassed, but turned on, tried to shove Root off her without putting forth much effort. Root responded to the struggle. 

“Settle down,” Root urged. 

Her cool, slender fingers reached the wetness through Shaw’s underwear and she smiled in delight. 

“Well it seems like everything is working down here,” Root giggled. She felt around. “Is this back-up piece for me?” She felt around a little more. “…and a knife?! Shaw! Were you planning a party without me?” she laughed. 

Shaw blushed hard and wiggled herself out of Root’s embrace. She wasn’t used to someone having control over her. 

Root reassessed the situation.

“You’re mad about your slip up with John the other day.” Root posed this question as a statement.

“Yes, but - ” 

Root cut her off. 

“Sameen, we play “I Spy” with a couple of weirdos on a daily basis to prevent thousands of people from dying more or less interesting deaths. We help people. Aaaand sometimes we miss the mark. But as far as I’m concerned, we’re in the plus column.”

This made Shaw feel a little better, although she hated how easily Root was able to explain her own life to her. She chose to accept it. For the first time in days the unexplained cloud of distraction had dissipated. 

“I’m gonna go,” Shaw said as she headed home for the night. She stopped in her tracks and turned back at Root, who was still watching her walk off. A light, misty rain began to fall from the evening sky.

“Thanks,” Shaw added. She turned around and continued walking. 

Root signed off with a wink before heading back inside to catch the rest of the speech.


End file.
